The Importance of Making Fire to
Survival

As you’re beginning
your foray into the world of learning survival skills,
you’ll become familiar with tasks like building a
shelter, performing first aid in the field and mastering
navigation. Along with these skills is one that’s
essential to survival in a variety of ways -- building a
fire.

What is it about building a fire that’s
so important for survival when you’re trapped in an emergency situation?

Fire keeps you warm. Depending on the environment where you’re trapped -- warm and dry, frigid and wet, etc. -- building a fire could be the difference that saves you from discomfort, hypothermia, frostbite or even death.

Fire gives you a way to signal your location. When you’re stranded in an emergency situation, you’ll want a way to notify those searching for you of your whereabouts. Especially in the dark, fire is helpful for informing searchers of your location.

Fire furnishes the heat needed to make both water and food safe to ingest. If you have a fire, a pot/skillet and access to food and water, you’re able to refuel your body by hydrating yourself with purified (boiled) water and refueling your body with cooked food.

Fire provides light and comfort. A fire is also a great survival tool because it emits light that’s comforting and allows for you to study your map, compass, etc.

Now that we’ve established why building a
fire is important, what do you need to have build to
build one?

A
location. Pick a spot blocked off from strong
wind and other elements to begin building your fire.

Tinder
& fuel. You’ll need tinder to get your fire
started -- either a packaged tinder,
a Fire Starting Tinder that
you bring along, or other materials like birch bark,
tree moss or pocket lint. The wood fuel you’ll use
to build your fire should be small pieces of dry,
dead wood from trees and shrubbery; if possible,
avoid chopping or splitting to help conserve your
energy. Make sure you have twice as much of all
these materials as you think you’ll need. Note:
If you’re building a fire on top of snow, build up a
raised “platform” from green wood to keep the fire
you start away from direct moisture.

A
spark. To spark that flame, you’ll need a tool
to start your fire like a
water-resistant and wind-proof lighter,
weather-proof matches or
flint and steel. Carry a combination of these items
in different places on your person to ensure that
you’ll have a working option if you need it.

Once your
fire is started, be sure to closely monitor it and have
means to put it out -- water and moist dirt or sand --
just in case. As Smokey Bear says "Only you can prevent
forest fires."